Our Last Dance
by Lexicon04
Summary: "Let's take it one step at a time, okay?" I whispered. A one-shot about Glimmer and the night before she died. Glimmer/Marvel fluff


**Hi everybody!**

**So this is basically a one-shot about Glimmer and a dream she had the night before she died, but I also wrote a death scene because I couldn't resist :) **

**This is my first fanfiction ever! Please please PLEASE review I need a little bit of constructive criticism on my writing. Praise is definitely welcome though!**

**Enjoy! :)**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Hunger Games. I could go on for years about how Finnick shouldn't have died and Peeta shouldn't have been hijacked, but fortunately I won't. All characters belong to Suzanne Collins. **

The City Square was alive with people celebrating. I always thought it was kind of ironic that the most important festival of the year was a day before the reaping, but that never stopped anyone from having fun. I'm sure the Capitol is trying to humor us by making sure the one day we can really be ourselves is the day where tension gets at its highest. Really, though, the joke is on them- excitement is the feeling that runs high when the reaping comes near.

I stood at the drinks table and ladled up some punch for myself, but the wonderfully fruity taste never registered. I watched all the happy couples dance across the Square, their faces rapt and shining in the lights that lit up the party. Moths hovered around the lights, repeatedly flying into the bulbs but getting nowhere. My friend Jewel approached me. I knew what she was going to ask before she even said it. "Glimmer, aren't you going to dance with Marvel this year?" she giggled.

"Maybe." I shrugged indifferently and continued sipping my punch. It really did taste good; I felt bad I wasn't giving it justice. "Please, Glimmer- pretty please with a diamond on top?" Jewel persisted.

"I think it's a cherry on top." I teased half-heartedly.

"Diamonds are prettier than cherries."

"Not in terms of color."

"Glimmer, you are purposefully getting off the point. Are you or aren't you dancing with Marvel this year?" Jewel asked eagerly, completely failing to look frustrated. "Like I said- maybe, okay?" This wriggled an exasperated sigh from Jewel.

"But he's your boyfriend!" she whined.

"He isn't my boyfriend! Marvel is just my friend." I snapped.

Jewel smiled, having finally getting a halfway decent response from me. "Yeah, he's your _best _friend. Geez, Glimmer, just admit it- you like him." She sniggered.

"I so do not like him." I rolled my eyes. Countless other people had tried this technique- trying to get me to admit I like Marvel. Really, though, I don't. Not in that way.

Sometimes I wonder if I was born into the wrong District.

Jewel lost her patience with me around here. "Well, Glimmer, you can dance with him or not- but remember if you don't, the whole of District 1 will hate you." She hissed and ran off again. Unfortunately, Jewel was right in this case. Maybe not the whole of District 1 would exactly hate me, but I'd be getting pretty nasty looks for maybe two months later. Already many people were looking at me expectantly, waiting for me to grab Marvel's hand and drag him onto the dance floor.

Damn me for living in the most overly dramatic District in Panem besides the Capitol.

So, now we were being forced to dance. Why does it have to be such a big deal that we won't dance? Nevertheless my feet still itched to get on the floor and fly like the rest of them. Of course, I'd need Marvel for that, because we never danced as well alone as we did with the other. But he was still mad at me, probably. . . I didn't mean for him to see me kissing Racer. Marvel and I aren't dating, but our worst fights have been when the other has a boyfriend or girlfriend.

"Come on, we aren't even dating!" I had said desperately, grasping for a reason- any reason- for Marvel to calm down.

Oh, right, like I haven't heard that one before!" he yelled.

"But . . . but we aren't!" I was at loss for words.

"Just go away, Glimmer. You're a total whore." he snarled before walking off, leaving me standing there alone.

Being the complete idiot I am, I cried for hours after that. Then I realized that the next day was the Dance Festival- surely he had to forgive me then? Dancing at the festival was our special tradition. But he'd still ignored me this morning, and he hadn't made any effort to talk to me tonight. Neither had I, though.

A new song struck up and with it a small pang of longing rippled through me. Marvel and I had danced to this song many times- everyone recognized it as our song. Suddenly he was there right next to me, holding out his hand. His eyes said, "Forget what happened yesterday- dance with me." I smiled and took his hand. Taking Marvel's unspoken words to heart, I forgot what happened yesterday and flew across the dance floor. We whirled around like never before, and pretty much every single person in District 1 had stopped dancing to watch us. Huh- maybe they weren't so bad after all.

All too soon, the song ended and we came to a stop, both of my hands entwined with his. Everyone burst into wild applause, the biggest one we had ever gotten before. Then, as if on sudden impulse, he leans down and kisses me. Seemingly nothing out of the ordinary- he kisses me goodnight every day. But those kisses were just pecks- this one is real. The applause gets so loud I think I might go deaf. But he just smiles and leads me off the dance floor, people quickly getting caught up in the celebrations. It's almost as if we gave them an incentive, a reason to throw themselves fully into the celebrations.

As we were getting some punch, I ask, "What was that?"

"What was what?" he grins devilishly.

"That." I nodded over to the dance floor.

"Oh, that." He says dismissively and ladles up some punch.

He hands me a glass, which I actually enjoy this time. We sip the punch while people come up and profusely congratulate us for giving them another spectacular show. Once the number of company dwindles, I try again. "So, what was it?"

"Nothing- just giving the audience a good show, like we've always been taught in training." He shrugs.

"But you've never kissed me like that before." I said, getting more punch as my glass was empty.

"_You've_ never kissed _me_ like that before." He brings the question full circle.

He's right- I hate it when he's right. Being right is a very annoying quality in a boy, but for some inexplicable reason when Marvel is right the irritation doubles. Only tonight I'm too curious to be annoyed. He notices this. Damnit, he knows me too well.

"You didn't get annoyed." He says in wonder. "What did I do?"

"You weren't doing it just for the audience." I stated.

"Who says I wasn't?" Marvel challenges.

"I do." I said simply.

Marvel rolls his eyes. "Do you know how annoyingly persistent you're being?" he says exasperatedly, but grins a little. We are inseparable for the rest of the night, dancing and drinking punch. Jewel comes up to us at one point, opening her mouth to say something, but ends up running off and giggling madly. Ugh, she is such an idiot, but she is my best friend- best _girl _friend.

Soon only a few couples remain, slow dancing to some old love song. "How about one more dance?"I ask. This time, we don't do anything fancy or fast. We just turn around in a slow circle, enjoying each other's company. "I had to kiss you at least once, you know, before you and Racer start getting all hot." Marvel says, and I could hear the edge of pain in his voice. "Racer and I aren't dating- and we won't start. He's not really my type." I shrug.

I can tell Marvel believes me. "Who is your type, then?" he asks, pulling me closer. It feels so good I don't answer for a long time. "You know who my type is." I say in bliss, eyes closed.

"I know that I know who your type is. I just had to hear you say it." He whispers.

"Let's take it one step at a time, okay?" I said.

"I can do that." Marvel replies and the song ends.

He gives me the usual goodnight kiss and said "You look gorgeous tonight, by the way." before we leave for the night. I watch his back until it disappears in the darkness.

"Glimmer, wake up. It's your turn to watch." Someone is gently shaking my shoulder. I wake up and realize I had been dreaming about my last night of freedom- the night before I got reaped. I sit up groggily in my sleeping bag, those few moments of happiness fading. Peeta is staring at me with those big blue eyes, his hair white in the moonlight. I get up and he slides in, falling asleep almost instantly. I'm on watch by myself tonight . . . brilliant.

I stare up at the girl, Katniss, in the tree. She is fast asleep and looks kind of pretty when she isn't in the whole 'Girl on Fire' getup. _No, Glimmer- don't think of her as pretty._ _Katniss Everdeen means nothing but trouble_, I scolded myself. Hastily shoving any thoughts of Katniss out of my mind, I try to focus on Marvel's sleeping face. I wish so badly he hadn't volunteered so he could go in the arena with me. He could have gone on with his life, got married, and had kids. Maybe- hopefully -he still will. I stroke his hair, wanting one more moment alone with him. The whole of Panem is probably watching me but I don't care.

Marvel suddenly grabs my hand. I almost screamed but stuffed my fist in my mouth to keep the sound from escaping. "I didn't know you were awake." I whispered, my heart pounding in fear.

"Well, do you really think I could sleep in this place?" he whispers back.

"I could- I dreamed about the festival." I sighed longingly.

"Yeah- it was a good night, that one. It was probably the best night of my life." He smiles at the memory.

"You shouldn't have volunteered." I went straight to the point.

"Of course I shouldn't have- but I did." His eyes are open now, and the mischievous glint I loved is now gone, replaced by a sort of alertness that only tributes in the arena have. For the first time, I hated the Capitol for doing this, for ruining Marvel- for ruining us. Not the fact that we might've been together one day, but our relationship as friends. Even that comfort was now stripped from me, and I despised the fact.

"What was I supposed to do, stay in District 1 and watch you on the screen, helpless?" Marvel continues.

"Yes, that is exactly what you were supposed to do. At least I would've known you were safe." I hissed.

"Well, I wouldn't have known you were safe. I had to come along, to protect you. That's what friends do." His voice is barely audible.

"I know. But now, I'm protecting you- okay? Go to sleep." I ordered good-naturedly.

I hesitantly resumed stroking Marvel's hair, and he sighed and closed his eyes. I had a horrible feeling this would be our last moment together. Hot tears threatened to escape at the thought, but I wasn't going to give in. The audience was watching me, I had to stay strong. Marvel's breathing slowed into a deep, rhythmic sound and I knew he had fallen asleep. My eyes struggled to stay open. After kissing Marvel's forehead, I leaned against the broad tree trunk. I was so tired, so emotionally worn out . . . but I had to stay awake. I closed my eyelids for one second and sleep pulled me under.

A strange buzzing noise woke me. For a minute I looked around, confused, until a stab of pain shot through my neck. A glistening gold body assaulted my hand and that's when I realized- tracker jackers. Katniss must have dropped the nest on us- that bitch! More stingers made their mark and it was all I could do to keep from shrieking out loud. "To the lake! To the lake!" I heard someone shout- was it Peeta?

A swarm of tracker jackers descended on me and I screamed, trying to bat them off with my bow. Obviously this did no good, but what other choice did I have? I tried to call for Marvel but he must've already bolted for the lake, confused from the stings. I fell to the ground in agonizing pain, still screaming my head off. My body twitched uncontrollably as more stingers dug into my flesh, my fingers clutching onto the bow like it was my lifeline- which, of course, it wasn't.

Pain resided in so many places I couldn't even tell where I hurt anymore. I wasn't in pain, I was pain itself. Heavy footsteps fell near me and I thought it was Marvel, coming to save me. But no hands came to pick me up; no soothing words of comfort spoke themselves to distract me from the terrible stings. My entire life flashed before my eyes - my mom baking cookies, Jewel and I sitting on my bed talking, Marvel and I dancing at the festival, kissing him goodnight, hearing them call out my name at the reaping- Glimmer Swift.

I remember how, when I was little, Marvel and I would pretend to have pet diamonds. We would string them onto some wire and pretend to take them on a walk. How I wish I could go back to those days when everything seemed so simple and innocent. But I would never be able to go back, much less move forward. This girl is only one of hundreds who died in the Hunger Games, so easily forgotten.

I will die, right here and now, and written off as just another tribute who couldn't make it out of the arena. Just another idiot who needs to be rid of before the Games really become exciting.

I never, ever though I would be one of those tributes. At home, I used to look down on them for not trying hard enough. For appearing so weak and disposable. But now, it's me who will appear such a weak tribute.

I am insignificant.

Suddenly pain seizes me more harshly than ever before and I wanted to scream, but no sound escaped. Death approached me, I could feel him in the air. My last thought circles throughout my head, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, Marvel." Then my cannon fires.

**Okay that was a little bit long for a one-shot. . . sorry. . . but I really hope everyone liked it! Now, let's play a game. It's called see how many people can click the button that says 'Review.' Okay? See, look how shiny and NEW it is. You know you want to. . . *wink wink***

-**Lexie ;)**

**P.S Just in case anyone is interested, the song that inspired this story is Long Live by Taylor Swift. If you need a good cry or something. . . read the story and listen the song. Seriously. It works. **


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